


Paper Swans and Coffee Cups

by izthebookfreak



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Coffee makes the world go round, F/M, I really don't know how to tag, Superhero Drama, angst (kinda), hospital AU (kinda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26902318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izthebookfreak/pseuds/izthebookfreak
Summary: When Adrien is in a waiting room after Chloé is injured in an akuma attack, his life only becomes more complicated when a brunette offers him some coffee.Version 1: Adrien's an asshole
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 39





	Paper Swans and Coffee Cups

**Author's Note:**

> Again, there's actually two versions of this story because I couldn't decide how I thought Marinette would react. The second one is up now!

The akuma had been aiming for Adrien.

This wasn’t out of the ordinary. Akumas usually aimed for him. The taunting and teasing and horrendous puns made himself an easy target. But Adrien didn’t mind: that was the point. If it didn’t hit Adrien, it would hit Ladybug, and that couldn't happen. The world needed Ladybug and therefore he was expendable. 

Thankfully, the akuma’s colossal fireball didn’t hit Ladybug. The akuma was defeated, the day was saved, and most of the world moved on. Adrien saw the flame soar past him. Heat grazed his ear, relief coursing through his veins. But he could still hear the scream rip through the sky and see the burning skin.

“Are you here for Chloé Bourgeois?”

Adrien’s head snapped towards the voice, his mind back returning to the room. It was bland, like most hospital rooms. Boring tables covered with unread magazines and overcomplicated pamphlets. Adrien had been there for over five hours now and hadn’t touched a single tabloid. He couldn’t do anything other than think of that fire rushing past him and wish it had hit him instead.

“Excuse me, sir. Are you Chloé Bourgeois’s brother?”

_Oh. Right._

The boy didn’t move from his seat in the ER but craned his head so he was looking towards where the voice came. It was another nurse, the third nurse, actually, this one short and plump, peering from behind wired glasses.

Adrien flashed a fake smile, the one that made him a millionaire. “No, I’m her roommate. Adrien Agreste.”

“Should we expect any immediate family?” The nurse’s voice was screechy. Adrien preferred the second nurse. She smelled a little weird but at least her voice wasn’t disarming.

“No,” Adrien’s voice was soft in comparison. “They’re in Italy for a press release. I’m the only one here.”

The nurse handed Adrien a clipboard. Attached were several pieces of paper, each with dozens of blank lines and unchecked boxes.

Adrien shook his head, “Is she okay? Is there any update?”

The nurse furrowed her brows, as if annoyed by the question. “She’s still in surgery,” she said. Spit flew from the nurse’s mouth while she spoke, “We’ll be out with an update soon. Bring the paperwork to the front desk when you’re done.”

Adrien watched the nurse waddled back into the restricted area and prayed that the next one sent would be younger.

The boy cursed, looking down the stacks of paper. He read the dotted lines: _patient's name, DOB, current employment…_

“This is ridiculous,” Adrien muttered to himself. His fingers followed the green string tied to the clipboard until it found a pen. “None of this is going to help her. I can’t even help her. I-”

_“LADYBUG!”_

Adrien sucked in a breath. His fingers gripped the pen. He scanned the paper and started writing her name: _C-h-l-o-_

_“CHAT NOIR!”_

“Shit!” Adrien noticed a wet sensation oozing from his hand. The boy saw his pen had snapped in half, ink dripping down his palm.

He sighed, reluctantly leaving his chair and trudging to the closest desk. There was a younger nurse, probably fresh out of college, paired with a blonde pixie cut and bright pink lips. Instead of doing something productive, she was folding a paper swan. Adrien wished the hospital would suddenly become defunded.

“Excuse me,” he started, “Is there any way I could get a pen?”

The girl looked up and grinned, “Of course. I’m afraid all I have is pink.”

Adrien scoffed, “Pink?”

“Pink is a jovial color,” the nurse insisted, presenting Adrien with a very pink and very sparkling writing utensil. “It makes the drab paperwork more fun.”

“Looks like you're being very productive,” he said, eyeing the swan. His hand sheepishly grabbed the pen. “Thank you.”

The girl winked, “If you need anything else, let me know.”

Adrien turned from the desk only to be interrupted by the girl’s voice again. “And I’m sorry about Chloé. I went to school with her. She was kinda the worst but she didn’t deserve to be hurt.”

The boy looked back at the nurse and forced a smile. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

It didn’t mean anything to him but she didn’t need to know that. Condolences don’t save lives. Neither did regret, Adrien had discovered.

Adrien moved back to his seat, returning to his many pages of paperwork. He had almost begun to check the first box until he heard the blonde nurse squeal with delight.

“You are absolutely amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

 _What kind of hospital is this,_ Adrien thought. He looked up to see a woman at the counter holding two coffees. A third one was being guzzled by the blonde nurse.

The girl squealed a second time, “I love coffee!”

The woman with coffee smiled. Her dark hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and she sported a college hoodie and old jeans. The girl slung a pink backpack across her shoulder and was topped off with a pink beanie.

She smiled. It was a sad smile, one she didn’t cover up well. She hadn’t lived with the practice Adrien had. “Well, the hospital’s coffee was horrendous and I had a feeling you’d appreciate something sweeter.”

The blonde giggled, “You know me too well.”

“I have known you for a couple years,” the brunette winked. Adrien noticed her expression had shifted, however. Her face softened and her voice was soft. “How’s she doing?”

The blonde frowned, “Chloé?”

Adrien’s stomach condensed and his chest tightened. _Chloé? Why would she know Chloé?_

“I’m not sure,” she continued. “She’s been in surgery for hours.”

“Could you find out?” she asked. There was worry in her voice, worry that Adrien knew and felt.

“I guess,” the blonde frowned. “I’m surprised you care. I thought you hated her.”

The brunette shook her head, “That was high school. Things change.”

“She made a post last week about your parent’s bakery,” the blonde reminded. “She said it was a disgrace to French cuisine.”

“Can you just check on her? Please.” The woman hadn’t snapped, but her voice was tight. “It’s important.”

“Okay, okay. I have a break at four. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you,” the brunette brightened. She waved a cup of coffee around, “Is he here?”

The blonde pointed at the waiting room: _at Adrien_. “He’s a bit snippy,” she commented. “He was upset with my swan.”

“I’m sure he’s had a long day,” the brunette said. “Your swan is lovely.”

The nurse giggled again and the brunette started walking away from the table _and towards Adrien Agreste._

Adrien dropped his head, pretending like he was filling out papers. Had he really done nothing this whole time? How was that even possible? Alright, DOB: 0-6, 17-

“Adrien?”

The boy slowly looked up as if he hadn’t been eavesdropping the entire time. Her lips formed another sad smile and she was offering him one of her coffees.

Adrien frowned, “Yes?”

“Hi, I’m Marinette. I knew Chloé from high school. I thought you could use a coffee.”

 _Marinette?_ Adrien vaguely remembered the name. Chloé hated everyone she went to school with. It was kinda hard to keep track of who’s who. He could almost recall her name associated with class president? Or a diary?

Adrien’s face must have elicited confusion because the girl -Marinette- laughed awkwardly to break the silence. Deciding Adrien wasn’t going to take the coffee, she set it on the table next to him. “I was up here earlier but I didn’t recognize you,” she explained. “Which is stupid. You’re Adrien Agreste. Chloé used to talk about you all the time. So did me and my friend. But not in a weird way. Just that you were a hot teenage celebrity- not that you’re hot- well you are- I just-”

“Can I help you?” Adrien asked. This wasn’t exactly what he expected after seeing the confident girl talking with Nurse Betty Boop. It wasn’t almost like she was a different person.

The girl bit her lip, “Right. Of course.” She took a seat next to him and politely folded her hands in her lap.

“I was there. Today. At the attack,” the girl mumbled.

Adrien’s chest began folding into itself and sweat appeared on his neck.

_“HELP ME! PLEASE!”_

The girl continued to look down at her hands, “I never liked Chloé. She was really awful when we were younger. Well, she’s still kinda awful now-” Marinette bit her lip again and nodded as if to emphasize she was starting over. “It was really scary, seeing and hearing her. I’ve heard of akuma related injuries lasting past the cleansing process but she was just still burning.”

Adrien felt his hands start to shake. Air couldn’t get into his body fast enough and sounds started to pile up on eachother.

_“PLEASE! CHAT! HELP ME!”_

“I finally understand the train-wreck thing. It was so horrifying and yet I couldn’t stop looking. I really thought I could help her or save her or do something. But I just froze. I watched it happen and did absolutely nothing.”

_“CHAT!”_

“I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry.”

Adrien blinked. He looked at the girl, suddenly noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks. Marinette choked on each sob, “It’s my responsibility and your girlfriend might die because I wasn’t quick enough. I didn’t even think about the fire. It doesn’t matter that I don’t like Chloé… she didn’t deserve this.”

The girl turned to look at Adrien. Her eyes were red and her skin was splotchy. “This is my fault and I am so sorry.”

Adrien stared dumbfounded. He had never been good with emotions. His father shamed any form of hostility and Chloé was pure aggression. And now there was a really cute girl balling in front of him because she felt _responsible._

She wasn’t responsible. Adrien was responsible. The girl was just some random bystander. She didn’t understand what it was like to have the entire city on her shoulders. It was Adrien’s job to help Chloé- help the world- and he failed. His longest and only friend was in critical condition because he wasn’t careful.

“I know this doesn’t make any sense,” the girl chuckled through her tears. “And I wish I could explain it to you. I just needed you to know that I was sorry.”

Marinette rose from her chair. She held onto her coffee with two hands and shared another somber smile. “I hope she’s okay.”

Adrien watched the girl walk across the room. It was a strangely surreal moment. This woman did nothing but confuse him and he wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but it was as if he knew she meant something.

“Marinette?” he called out. For a brief moment he smiled: he liked how her name sounded when he said it. The girl turned around. Her brows were raised and Adrien hadn’t realized how blue they were.

“You could stay,” Adrien motioned to her now empty chair. “If you’d like.”

Marinette beamed, “Okay.” She strolled back to her seat and collapsed into it. She opened her backpack and pulled out a pink sketchbook.

Adrien reached to the table and grabbed his coffee. After a small sip he looked at the girl, surprised. “Hazelnut’s my favorite.”

The girl’s cheeks flushed and she buried her nose in the book. “Oh. Lucky guess.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Check back for the second version! And check out my other fics while you're at it!  
> Come bother me on Tumblr!
> 
> -Iz


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